The present application relates generally to a tracking system for solar panels. More specifically, embodiments provide tracking systems that are suitable for solar panels. In a specific embodiment, a tracking system is fully adjustable at each of the pillars, a plurality of tracking systems working in conjunction with each other to protect the system as a whole, among other aspects. There are other embodiments as well.
As the population of the world increases, industrial expansion has led to an equally large consumption of energy. Energy often comes from fossil fuels (including coal and oil), hydroelectric plants, nuclear sources, and others. As an example, the International Energy Agency projects further increases in oil consumption, with developing nations such as China and India accounting for most of the increase. Almost every element of our daily lives depends, in part, on oil, which is becoming increasingly scarce. As time further progresses, an era of “cheap” and plentiful oil is coming to an end. Accordingly, alternative sources of energy have been developed.
Along oil, people have also relied upon other sources of energy such as hydroelectric, nuclear, and the like to provide our electricity needs. For example, most of the conventional electricity required for home and business use come from coal- or natural gas-fired turbines, nuclear power generation plants, and hydroelectric plants, as well as other forms of renewable energy. Home and business use of electrical power has been stable and widespread.
Much of the useful energy found on the Earth comes from our sun. Generally all common plant life on the Earth achieves life using photosynthesis processes from sun light. Fossil fuels such as oil were also developed from biological materials derived from energy associated with the sun. For human beings, sunlight has been essential. For life on the planet Earth, the sun has been the most important energy source and fuel for modern day solar energy.
Solar energy possesses many desirable characteristics. Solar energy is renewable, clean, abundant, and often widespread. Certain technologies have been developed to capture solar energy, concentrate it, store it, and convert it into other useful forms of energy.
Solar panels have been developed to convert sunlight into energy. As an example, solar thermal panels often convert electromagnetic radiation from the sun into thermal energy for heating homes, running certain industrial processes, or driving high grade turbines to generate electricity. As another example, solar photovoltaic panels convert sunlight directly into electricity for a variety of applications.
Solar panels are generally composed of an array of solar cells, which are interconnected to each other. The cells are often arranged in series and/or parallel groups of cells in series. Accordingly, solar panels have great potential to benefit our nation, security, and human users. They can even diversify our energy requirements and reduce the world's dependence on oil and other potentially detrimental sources of energy.
Although solar panels have been used successfully for certain applications, there are still limitations. Often, solar panels are unable to convert energy at their full potential due to the fact that the sun is often at an angle that is not optimum for the solar cells to receive solar energy. In the past, various types of conventional solar tracking mechanisms have been developed to address this issue. Unfortunately, conventional solar tracking techniques are often inadequate. These and other limitations are described throughout the present specification, and may be described in more detail below.
From the above, it is seen that techniques for improving solar systems are highly desirable.